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Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18785, 19 May 1923, Page 13

Gwen Burroughs has said farewell to Australia for a while with a view to trying her luck in America. * * * * A London writer declares England's three most popular comedians to be Charles Hawtrey, Leslie Henson, and W. H. Berry. * ♦ * • Juggler Stan Kavanagh, who is appearing with Sir Harry Lauder, is an Australian who, before being aupreci-; ated in his own country, had to achieve distinction abroad » « • • Nora McManus, (an Auckland girl who was quite an attractive Mary Gibbs in a recent New Zealand production of that musical comedy," has been signed up by J. C. Williamson, Ltd. Tom Bayne, who has come to New Zealand with Sir Harry Lauder, was here many years ago with the Clarke-Meynel and Co. in "The Arcadians,” "Miss Hook ot Holland," I and "The Girl Behind the Counter." His present stage-partner, Vera Hilliard, is his wife. * * • • The Musgrove office informs us ot. a. serious accident which betel one of the Flying Winskills during the course of a performance at the Empire Theatre, Johannesburg, just before the South African mail left. In performing one particular feat, T. Winskill turns a somersault and is caught by one of his partners. Due to a slight error of judgment, he.i missed, fell to the stage, and injureo his neck and head. He was picked up in an unconscious condition and. hurried to the General Hospital, where he subsequently recovered hia senses. It is since learned that the performer had improved considerably and hoped to be able to open in, Durban early this month. * • • • Some members of the Five Wartons, together with Greatori, the Italian clown—both acts with Wirth, Bros.’ Circus, had a narrow escape recently, wTien the boat, in which they were fishing off La Perouse, capsized in the heavy weather. All the performers are good swimmers, and they made for the shore—nearly half-a-mile away—which they al! reached safely, though much exhausted. * • • • Dorothy Marion Meikle was re-, cently granted a divorce from Wil-1 liam Thomas Meikle at Melbourne on' April 2fith. Petitioner was formerly a member of the Emilio Polini dramatic company, and also a winner in, the comparatively recent beauty com-| petition run by the "Herald,” Melbourne. * • • • Eric Harrison, the brilliant comedy lead, who claims the chief honour with Doris Duane in "Scandal," has been associated with some of the world’s leading artists—Doris Keane in “Roxana” has appeared as Paul Verdayne in “Three Weeks.” Arayas Leigh, in “Westward Ho.” a.s Danilo in “The Merry Widow”; Albany Pope, in "The Boy” and “The •Count of Luxemburg.” Mr. Harrison, it is interesting to note, was for three years an officer in the British Epeditionary Forces, where he won the D.C.M. for Distinguished services. As Pelham Franklan, the leading character next to Miss Duane In “Scandal,” ho leaves nothing to be desired as the other of the duo in the famous “bedroom scene.” • • • • Julius Knight, who was for a de cade or more the Lewis Waller of Australasia, has returned tot Sydney. not under engagement to act, but merely to bask in the sunlight and look up old friends and well-remem-bered spots. Probably there has never been an actor who has enjoyed starring success for a longer period in the Commonwealth than, Julius Knight, the erstwhile cobbler of a small Scotch village. We remember him as a player who always looked well, and those sterling performances were always thoughtfully conceived and convincingly acted. Knight was comely and conscientious, and, being given a wonderful array of great romantic parts, ho made success after success—in “The Sign of the Cross,” “The Prisoner of Zenda,” “A Royal Divorce,” “Under J the Red Robe,” "The Breed of the

Treshams,” "Silver King,” "Lion and tlie Mouse,” “Everyman,” “Rupert of Hentrau,” “Two Orphans, and a dozen others. Marie Ney (formerly Marie Fix. of, Wellington) has left Sydney to try her luck in England. Marie was last ] here with Marie Tenip . bit lately had been appearing in Sydney ini “The Flaw” with Emilio Polini. Miss Mona Magnet, the principal; boy of .1. C. Williamson's “Forty Thieves” Pantomime, owes her first chance to appear as a leading lady to a curious experience. Site was a member of a company touring South Africa, and was playing a small part. One day getting out of a train at the end of a journey, the leading lady fell and broke her ankle. The mishap was as serious for the company as for the lady, for she had no understudy. When the management, was on the 'point of cancelling the p'-r--formance, Miss Magnet begged for a chance to play the part to save the company from being thrown out of. work. The manager limghed, but Miss Magnet went home, studied the part until the late afternoon, and then demanded a reahearsal, in which the company supported her. The result was that a perl'omance was tried, and the new leading lady proved so successful that she played for the rest of the tour. When the company returned to England. Miss Magnet found that the newspapers had made much of the incident, and her position in the profession had in consequence mounted very much higher. • • • » The London farewell to Irene Vanbrugh and Dion Boucicault was a most successful fixture, at which the latter found, to his great surprise, a number of New Zealanders, who recalled the days of Brough and Boucicault, when Pinero was the reigning dramatic author. Miss Vanbrugh was overwhelmed with claims on her time, even down to the eleventh hour, for she had worked indefatigably for the King George: Pensions Fund for actors. The plans for the tour, which will comprise South Africa till August, Australia next, and New Zealand about this time next year, provide for pro duction of a number of Barrie's plays. A. A. Milne’s, and Pinero's--the repertoire, in fact, in which Miss Van brugh has made her reputation and achieved first rank in her art. A dramatic critic recently adjudged Miss Vanbrugh as the foremost in her genre on the English stage. Miss Vanbrugh, ho says, is a matchless comedienne. No one who saw her as the artful manicurist, Sophy Fullgarney. in “The Gay Lord Quex.” can have any doubt about that. So steeped was she„in her role that it took her months to eradicate the accent she had acquired on Sophy r behalf. She can be a realist. Ye' perhaps it is in fantastic comedy that she is most enchanting.

SHOPPING SLIPS AND HOW THEY' AHE MADE. THE BEST THEY' HAD Tin>e ; Between 12 and 2 p.m. Place: Large drapery store. Shopwalker (to young man who contemplates buying his lady love a pair of silk hose): “Goodday, sir; what may I show you?” Young ’dan: "Oh. I want to see (he smartest thing you have in silk stockings’. ” Shopwalker: “Sorry, sir, hut she's out at lunch at present.” * • • • VERY' HEAVY. Grocer: “Good morning, Miss; anything I can get for you?” Miss: "Seven pounds of cooking salt, please.” Grocer: “Certainly, Miss. Will you take it with you, or shall 1 send Miss : “Will it he very heavy?” Grocer: “Well, no, Miss. I really do not think it will weigh more than three or four pounds." ♦ • » • PLEASE DON'T BOTHER. Old Lady: “I want two or three cakes of soap, please.” Sales Lady: "Scented or unscented?” Old Lady: "Oh. it is only a small parcel, I think I will take it with ntc.”